Retreating Shadows: Part 2
by Fandemonium-in-the-streets
Summary: "Why are you so tall? Where has your face gone?" Slenderman has no idea what he's getting himself into when he takes the little girl in the park with him. But something is after him, something cunning. Rated T for gore, but it's very infrequent! Chapters has appearances of Splendorman and Trenderman! Hope you enjoy! Part 1 already complete :)
1. Chapter 1

**AN: WOOH! Part 2! I'm so sorry I haven't been updating regularly. But, this is the last chapter I have pre-written so there will probably be longer waits :( I have a vague idea where this story is going, but I want it to be good. I'm a bit of a perfectionist when I write so it could be a while until I'm satisfied and ready to post. ****We learn a bit more about Slender's family in this chapter and Josie has a little accident D:**

**PLEASE NOTE: I am from Australia, so hospital procedures are based on what our system does. I don't know how other countries work but I've done my best to make it realistic. I'm not a doctor, so I'm sorry for any inaccuracies! I've also changed the chapter numbering, just to make it a bit more understandable. I was getting confused with all my word documents, so...hehe, sorry about that, hope you don't mind XD  
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**WARNING: Slightly graphic beginning and sad little girls.**

**OKAY enough chit-chat, on with the story now!**

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_Retreating Shadows: Part 2-Chapter 1_

_*Thoughts by characters are written in italics*_

The boy dashed through the undergrowth, stumbling over branches and splashing through puddles. He looked over his shoulder and only saw the empty trees. Relief flitted through his mind for a split second, and then he saw a black and white flash just a few feet away. His heart leapt into his throat and he turned his head around, going into an all-out sprint. His clothes were torn, bloody and completely soaked in adrenaline fuelled sweat.

He screamed as loud as he could, making his throat burn. In amongst the cries for help he shouted in German, "No! Go away! Help somebody! HELP ME!" The air was cold but his skin was on fire. His brain produced adrenaline to make his body endure the running, but he was getting tired. He started to slow down but he heard a sinister laugh from behind him and he sobbed, picking up his speed again. He desperately cried for somebody to save him. He tripped over a root hidden in the leaves and he landed hard. He scrambled to get up again, but something wrapped itself around his ankle and his blood ran cold. The thing dragged and lifted him upside down into the air. All the blood rushed to the boy's head, making him dizzy. He was brought close to the face of his pursuer and the thing smiled. The mouth contained bleeding gums with a row of sharp broken teeth. The boy, bloody and bruised, screamed the loudest he had ever done in his life, yet the thing's leer didn't waver.

_It feels good to be up and about again._ It thought as it silenced the boy with a sharp finger. It wandered back into the foliage, boy dangling limply from its tendril. It disappeared from view.

xxx

Slenderman teleported into his bathroom and flicked on the light switch with a tendril. Strong winds rattled the windows as he turned on the shower. While he waited for the water to warm up, he peeled off his sodden jacket, placing it with great care on the back of a chair. He then carefully folded each article of red stained clothing and positioned it all down on the seat. He stepped into the bath and ducked under the hot water. He felt the muscles in his back and neck loosen and he started washing his skin. Red colours swirled and disappeared down the drain, leaving streak marks on the creamy bath floor. Slenderman turned off the tap when he was clean and stepped out of the shower, drying himself with a towel, using an appendage on his back. He then dropped the fabric on the floor and dressed in his now clean clothes.

Slenderman walked down the front steps of his little cabin and started along a track going through his forest. He drew his jacket slightly tighter around himself as the cold air and strong winds battered against him. Slenderman's body had healed from his day out with the little girl, and he now saw how important it was to make sure he was able to endure the travelling again. Every day he had been taking slightly longer walks through his forest, starting at one hour and adding another one each day. Slenderman was now able to walk for just over half the day without getting too sore. While he walked he thought about what he would do for the day. He thoroughly enjoyed the German boy in the Black Forest, but he was simply a distraction, albeit a delicious one. He smiled at the smell of metallic blood, forever burnt into his memory.

Slenderman abruptly stopped, the quiet rustling of his movements now silenced. Sounds of wind howling and twittering birds filled the air. _Something is wrong_. He thought. He calmly considered what it could be. He searched all of the psychic links he had with humans from all around the world. There were many people he had not finished off yet and he checked in on them, poking and prodding at their mind's veils, looking for disturbances. He found nothing out of the ordinary, until he came across the little girl he met a fortnight ago. He saw her sobbing on the floor in Northumberland Park, clutching her wrist. The park looked deserted, the wind blowing the girls hair around her face.

Slenderman cut off his psychic connection and thought about his next move. He did realize this was a good time to interact and learn about her.

Additionally, he thought the best approach for him to learn the most he could from her was to make sure she stayed happy and welcoming. This was the **perfect** opportunity to go and be 'the good guy' and fix her wrist. He felt something uncomfortable and strange in his chest.

He passed it off as indigestion from the child. Slenderman teleported back to the cabin and burst through the front doors. He rapidly opened and closed cupboard doors in the kitchen, looking for the medical supplies he had collected recently.

As soon as he opened the right cupboard and saw the bandages and medicines, he realized he had no idea how to fix a human wrist. Slenderman knew how to heal his own kind and himself, but had very little knowledge about how to heal human's as he usually never bothered with it. Unsure of what to bring, he stuffed the entire contents of the cupboard into his large coat and trouser pockets. He checked he hadn't forgotten anything before disappearing.

Josie was sitting on the dewy grass, holding her wrist limply in her hand. Sobs wracked her body and the cold breeze made her shiver. She didn't move because her arm hurt so much. Her Mum and Dad had gone out to dinner and left her with a babysitter earlier that evening. When Josie saw that the babysitter had fallen asleep on the couch, she took her chance and ran out to Northumberland Park, hoping to see her Slendy. Josie had been running around, ducking in and out of the forest when she tripped and hurt her arm.

She looked around her, hoping to see someone. The strong wind blew her hair into her face and made it hard to see clearly. She was trying to pull it away while still holding her wrist when she saw a tall man. She recognized him immediately and called out against the strong gale.

"SLENDER! Slendy, you're here! Over here!" She stood up gingerly and walked towards him, grimacing as her steps jolted her wrist. Slenderman was fiercely happy that he had arrived before anyone else could get to her. He ignored this emotion however. He teleported close to her and walked the rest of the way. She stopped moving, mixed between crying out in pain and laughing manically because her Slendy was here to save her. Once he was close enough, he scooped her up in his long arms swiftly, wrapping his arms and tendrils around her tightly. She gasped and new tears slid down her face. Slenderman felt a pang in his chest again as he realized he had hurt her. He pushed this feeling down and reassured her, whispering sweet nothings and words of comfort into her ear as he walked out of the park, the little girl still held firmly in his grip. He walked quickly into the forest, out of sight of anyone.

"Slender, I need to go to home. I'm not meant to be out here!" Josie said desperately. She knew she was in trouble and her Mummy and Daddy would be mad. Slenderman now understood why she was all alone out here so late- she had run away. According to the moon in the sky it was approximately nine o'clock. He knelt down on one knee and gently lowered her to the ground. He set her down carefully and said,

"**Little one, I cannot carry you, but I will walk you to the hospital." **

The girl looked up at him and asked, "Why can't you carry me? My wrist hurts **so **much." She sniffledand Slenderman felt even worse. He ignored this feeling once again and explained,

"**I can make myself invisible, but I can't make you invisible. So if I carried you in town, it would appear as if you were floating." **He tried to make the situation seem funny to cheer her up. She gave a watery smile and nodded her head.

"Okay…well, will you walk with me to the hospital now? I'm really cold." She drew her arms closer to herself and trembled. Slenderman shook his head, chastising himself. He should be hurrying her along. While he might be feeling pleasantly cool in this stormy weather, she must be freezing.

"**I'm sorry; I've been taking too long. Let's get you out of here." **He walked out of the forest, now invisible to everyone but Josie and strode briskly along a road. He lengthened his arm and looped his long hand through her arm, which was grasping her wrist still.

Slenderman's hand felt very warm on her arm and she squeezed it to her side tightly. He squeezed back gently while walking along the road, looking down at her. He saw his chance and seized it.

"**So little one, do you have a name that I can call you by?" **

Josie looked up at him, incredulous. "Of course I have a name! Who doesn't? My name is Josephine Annabelle Periali," She puffed out her chest proudly, "but everyone calls me Josie." She paused, thinking about something. Slenderman repeated the name in his head. It sounded nice, it suited her. She then said slowly,

"Do **you** have a full name? I only know you as Slenderman and that's only one word. Weren't there other names as well? Do other angels like you normally have more than one name?"

Slenderman stopped walking and looked down at her, shocked. He had been called many colourful things, some of the most spiteful by his own family, but he had only ever been called an angel **once**. But that was a long, long time ago, back in 1702. He thought about her question very carefully, silent and still. Josie just stood by him, clutching his hand to her side, desperate to soak up is warmth. He eventually answered:

"**No. Other angels like me don't have multiple names, only I do." **He continued walking once more, his shoes clacking against the tarmac. Josie questioned why quietly and he replied awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head, **"Well, uh…I guess, I, just…umm….have met more people than you, and… they're usually the ones who give me the extra names." **

"Didn't your parents name you? Mummy says that Daddy chose my name." The wind picked up and Josie sniffed; her fingers and nose now numb.

"**Yes, my Mother did name me. She called me Slenderman. The other names came later. She was the one who named all of us." ** He said, though the last sentence more to himself than Josie. He had not thought about his Mother in decades. He hadn't seen her in even longer. While he relived memories of his early childhood, Josie was trying to ask him a question. She poked his hand hard and he looked down at her. She sighed deeply and repeated her question.

"I **said**: Who is 'us'?" Slender replied,

"**My brothers and me. There are three of us," **He took his arm away from Josie and ticked of his fingers as he spoke, **"There's Trenderman, who's the oldest, me: Slenderman and then Splendorman, whose the youngest. Mother named all three of us; Father told me that Mother was the best when it came to names. She was well known in our world for it. She was always able to tell what our personality would be like, and therefore; what our name should be. Personality is a big part in what our names are; some of us changed our names to suit what we were like when we were older." **

Josie took all of this information in and said excitedly, "They sound nice! I want to meet your brothers!" Slenderman laughed dryly and replied sternly.

"**Oh, no you don't. We are not going to see them." ** He looked down at her, looping his hand with her arm again. He sighed when he saw her face. She looked absolutely distraught. She was still holding her broken wrist limply and was looking up at him with big sad eyes. He took one look at her miserable face and melted, saying stiffly.

"**Fine, we'll go see them. But not soon…maybe in a month or two." **Josie grinned broadly; glad that she would meet is brothers. Meanwhile, Slenderman was scolding himself harshly. _I can't believe what I'm doing! I'm making __**plans**__ with a __**human girl**__ about meeting my __**family**__! What is wrong with me!? What will my parents say? They never did like my close associations with humans._

They arrived at the hospital and Slenderman stopped and knelt down. A light drizzle had started, and while it wasn't heavy; it was icy cold and Slenderman could feel his body temperature dropping. He said hastily,

"**Alright, I need you to go through the doors, and tell them you broke your wrist. They should help you and when you come back out, I'll be waiting here for you here. Alright?" **

Josie nodded, teeth chattering, her face and hands completely numb, **"if they ask how you got here, just say that you walked. Okay?" **Josie nodded again and rushed inside, her legs stiff from the cold.

She sighed gratefully as a warm blast of air hit her when she pushed the front doors open. She walked inside; happy that she wasn't in the rain anymore and approached the front desk. There were several nurses all bustling around. Some were wearing different coloured scrubs, flicking through papers and others whom Josie assumed were the administrate women, were talking on phones and writing on note pads. Josie saw a sign above the desk saying 'Triage'. She looked around and saw all of the chairs in the waiting area were filled. They were mostly young people who had gotten drunk. Some were passed out or groaning as they held their heads in their hands or nursed bleeding knuckles.

As she neared the desk, she saw an overweight middle aged woman. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun. She put down her phone and saw Josie walking nervously towards her. The woman sighed, tired from her long day and walked around the desk. She hitched up her pant legs and crouched down. She said sweetly,

"Hello there, sweet heart. I' looks as if you've hurt yer wrist, do you want me to help you wi' that?" Josie nodded and said politely,

"Yes, Miss." She offered the woman her hand, and she took it gently, examining it. Josie winced in pain as she bent the wrist back and forth. The woman apologized and said,

"Well honey, I' looks broken and tha' makes it a Category 3 Tier. You're gonna need a cast for tha' wrist. Where are yer parents?" Josie remembered what Slendy had said and she said rushed out in one breathe,

"I walked here, I broke my wrist in the park and I walked here." The woman glanced at her skeptically,

"Oh, really? You were **all** alone?"

"Yes, Miss."

The woman stood up again and sighed with a sympathetic look on her face. She hated having to say this,

"I'm sorry love, but yer too young to come in here alone. Even if you did have an adul' to sign for you, you'd be wai'ing here for hours. We've had a very busy nigh'. Too many young people out partying and such. You'd do better to go to a General Practitioner." Josie looked back at all the people in the chairs. Most had passed out and were slouched in their seats, drooling. There were buckets everywhere. Josie guessed from the smell what they were for.

She wasn't sure what to do next. Did Slender want her to stay here and wait? Or should she go back outside and tell him what the lady said? The woman hurried back behind the desk and wrote something down on a note pad before answering another phone call, no longer taking notice of Josie.

After gathering the courage, Josie walked back outside into the frigid cold. She whimpered as the icy wind whipped across her face. She walked as fast as she could to Slender, who was leaning slightly on a light pole, if anything, looking bored.

He spotted her and rushed forward, whipping off his coat. He crouched down and wrapped the jacket around her. As soon as the fabric touched her, Josie felt much warmer, but she was still shaking.

"**Why are you out here again? I told you to go get help." **He said sternly. Josie whimpered, she did not like the tone he used.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry! T-the lady said th-they were t-too busy, and I sh-should go to a G-general P-practition-ner!" Josie was so cold, despite the coat that her teeth chattered uncontrollably. Slenderman stood up and tilted his head, thinking hard. Josie stood still, shaking and teeth chattering. She was still holding her wrist and struggled to keep the coat from sliding off her tiny shoulders. Eventually, Slenderman came to a decision. He stood and picked her up again, wrapping the thin coat around her tightly. Josie sniveled into her arms as her wrist was compressed uncomfortably against her chest.

He turned around and started walking in the opposite direction briskly. "W-where are we g-going?" Josie whimpered, still trembling in his arms. He held her tighter to his chest, desperate to give her some of his remaining heat, though he could feel his core body temperature dropping slowly. The rain became heavier and his shirt clung to him.

"**I'm taking you to see my brother. Now, hush. You need rest."**

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**AN: Oooohhh, where we gonna go?! Who's house it gonna be?! *dramatic music***

**Please review! It makes me so happy to know that people are reading and enjoying! Constructive criticism welcome too!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Wow, okay let's just say I haven't written anything for this for about a year. Only spell checks when posting the chapters! It was really hard at first, but once I got into the swing of it all just flowed out :) So I hope my writing technique has improved, but not changed too much for you guys. Please enjoy!  
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**NOTICE: I saw that in previous chapters, when I jumped to new characters in new settings, the website didn't add in my little spacers (***) for some reason. I've found a way to change it though, so yaaay. You can understand it all better now! :D**

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_Chapter 2_

_**God**__, it's late._

It was past midnight and Brontworth had been in the ERL for the whole day. He was hungry, tired and his neck had a crick in it which twinged occasionally. He dropped his glasses on to his desk and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. He had been working since five am in the morning and he was looking forward to a break. Brontworth sighed, pushed himself away from the table and stretched, hearing a satisfying pop in his neck. He gathered his large stack of papers and shuffled out of the laboratories, switching off all the lights and locking doors as he went. Chamberlin had left hours ago but Brontworth didn't doubt that he was still working-hunched over his microscope most likely. Brontworth had assigned Frame the task of setting up 24-hour surveillance on the Periali home. He'd complained at first, claiming it was 'boring and a waste of his time', but one mention of his daughter, Laura, had shut his trap with a click. Blackmail was almost too easy.

He'd ordered Frame to tell him everything. He wanted to know when the daughter left for school, who she played with, when she came home, what she did alone-God, he wanted to know what her bowel-movements were! He had to know **everything **if he was going to do this right. It was going to take a hell of a lot of planning and brilliance. The foul thing they were dealing with was clever. It was cunning. It knew how to wait for centuries and still remain lethal. If Brontworth wanted to get to the end of this with his life, (even if he backed out, the thing would find him eventually) he would have to be bold, but still play it safe. This…was the hard part. Knowing how to get its weak spot and pick the exact moment to strike.

Chamberlin had offered his best advice, giving up his time and resources to do what he could. Brontworth knew very well that Chamberlin didn't care about the money-that had never been a part of it for him. It was all for the thrill of it, the puzzle, the chase. Chamberlin could easily have gone into the police force and thrived like Brontworth had, yet his sharp tongue and lack of regard for the law weren't exactly the best qualities for the job. So into politics it was.

Brontworth shut the last door and locked it. He tipped his head back and sucked in a breath of the icy air and exhaled, watching it unfurl in white wisps above his head. It was very close to the end of autumn and the freezing rains and bitter winds were a sign of what was to come. He was exhausted and looking forward to the comfort of his own home. He began a brisk march to his car and climbed in, setting down his research on the passenger seat. The drive was silent save for the gentle hum of the engine and his thoughts. He started creating a mental list of the jobs that were done and what he still had to complete.

Research and set up surveillance on the Periali's (without the families notice)-Done.

Learn as much as possible about the creature-In progress

Analyze the saliva sample-Inconclusive (hopefully Chamberlin had gotten a bit further along since he last saw him)

Investigate the claims of a tall, thin intruder in an Irish drug store-In progress

The surveillance on the family had been up and running directly to his home for over a week now and the only strange thing was how much the girl danced and laughed. She also stared out of her window a lot, as if searching for something. _But that's not so different to any other kid,_ he mused. So far, nothing of value had been found. But something was bound to turn up; the girl was shrouded in mystery and reeked of trouble.

Brontworth had been researching the creature for years; his information was extensive but unreliable at best. He was constantly on a quest for credible material and it seemed as if for the first time in over a decade he'd had a breakthrough.

The DNA was a complete enigma and he didn't know whether to be frustrated or excited. It was most certainly not anything Chamberlin had seen before, which left only one other option. But it was like the DNA was broken. There were parts missing, which was common in long frozen specimens or old DNA at crime scenes. It didn't make sense! The sample couldn't be any more than 24 hours old, yet it behaved as if it belonged in the 80's.

Brontworth would never admit it aloud even if he was the only person on earth, but he thanked the lucky stars that he had Chamberlin working with him. The man was a genius; he would definitely make sense of it all.

He slowed down to a halt at a red light, rain gently starting to patter down. He waited for a measly two cars to pass and he growled in frustration. He hated waiting, even for things as mundane as the traffic. He took off as soon as the light turned green. The rumor had surfaced a couple days ago through one of the forums he'd joined. The Irish break in held promise. Hardly any claims on the internet had credible evidence to back up their stories. The websites were full of false alarms of course and he paid a lot of it no attention, but the video had appeared at the same time on several other sites, including the non-paranormal ones. It had done the rounds on the news programs and plenty of chat shows had a good crack at it. But of course, they had all moved on and now Brontworth was ready to take a peek at where it happened.

Brontworth pulled his car into his driveway and swiftly entered his house, making himself some coffee and getting back to work. He hadn't been this busy since the Switzerland incident! They were certainly making progress. Slow progress, but progress nonetheless. That was when he received a call on his mobile. He snatched it out of his pocket and barked out,

"Commissioner Brontworth" Frame's deep tone came through the receiver. It was laced with traces of anxiety.

"Sir? The girl's missing."

xxx

"_**I'm taking you to see my brother. Now, hush. You need rest."**_

Slenderman began a brisk walk almost nearing a jog. He hurried to the forest with a strong sense of determination. He had to get the girl somewhere warm before she caught pneumonia. The tender, damaged child in his arms whimpered in pain and he thought hard about what to do. He couldn't teleport to his brother's home, it was too dangerous! The girl could end up with a lung in her mouth or something! His cabin was close, but it was far too cold. It would take ages to warm up and Josie didn't have that kind of time. After what felt like long minutes (when it was really only seconds) he decided to take the chance.

He could feel the small girl in his arms tremble in the cold, even while wrapped up in his coat. She was completely soaked and clutched her wrist in a feeble attempt to numb the pain. Slenderman felt an uncomfortable feeling in his chest he hadn't felt before. It twisted and writhed and it was a horrible sensation. Slenderman didn't know what was happening to him, he never felt like this. He disappeared from the forest and reappeared in front of a large, cream coloured house.

A tentacle emerged from his back and rapped on the door smartly. He stood back and surveyed the area. It was day time-they were in another part of the country. Slenderman shielded his face from the sudden change in lighting with the same tentacle, even though he had no eyes. He looked down and scanned the girl, looking for anything that could hint she wasn't all right. He saw nothing wrong and his heart relaxed in his chest. It was rare that a human was unaffected-and he was incredibly thankful. When he heard no sound from inside, he knocked on the door again, louder this time. He saw a flower bed filled with colourful tulips and sneered. His brother had always been so….feminine.

Birds were twittering in the background and he remembered why he hadn't seen his family for several centuries. They were always so horribly cheerful. Slenderman instinctively tightened his grip on Josie as the large wooden door swung open with gusto. A smooth face sporting a wide smile greeted them. The smile quickly faded upon taking in the full picture. Trenderman stood dumbfounded, clinging onto his wooden doorframe for support.

"**S-Slender?!** **Is that you? You're all wet! What happened?" **Trenderman gasped. Slenderman sighed and pushed past him into the house. Trender guffawed and shut the door. He followed Slender inside, wringing his hands in concern.

"**I can't believe it's you! It's been what?" **Trender rubbed the back of his bald head with his hand, **"nearly a millennia! It's been too long, brother!" **Slender was standing in the kitchen nervously, something Trender always found amusing. His little bro' was so unfortunately tall and being awkward didn't suit him.

Trender went to envelope his brother in a bear hug, but Slender dodged, hugging the bundle of clothing in his arms tighter to his chest. Trender eyed him suspiciously, if that were possible.

"**Slender?" **he asked doubtfully, **"What are you holding? Is that a human?"** Trender spotted a lock of brown hair flopping over the collar of Slender's black coat. He did **ever** so love that coat! It suited Slender's physical attributes perfectly! How he'd missed its beautiful black sheen, it was like leather! It could do with a touch up though, the cuffs were fraying and-

"**Yes. I, uh…require your expertise. She's injured."** Slender replied tersely, proffering the limp bundle of clothing and human. Trender looked uneasy as he assessed the bundle.

"**Uhh, why? I-I mean," **he stuttered, Slender rolled his eyes. He was always so anxious around new people, even when they weren't completely conscious, **"What's wrong with her?"**

"**She did something to her wrist and we've been out in the cold. She's all wet."** Trender noted the use of the plural and took the girl from his arms gently- who knew what else had happened to her? Slender was always so spectacularly ignorant about human care. _But why shouldn't he be? _He guessed, it_ wasn't exactly a part of his profession, unlike some people._ Trender puffed out his chest proudly at his thoughts and rushed into the bathroom, leaving Slender behind in the spacious kitchen. He turned the taps for the bath on to full and started stripping the girl of her clothes. He sat her on the side of the large porcelain tub and removed her shoes and wet socks.

She didn't seem to mind as she barely said anything. He shouted for Slender to bring him some towels and put them in the dryer to warm up. Slender grumbled a protest at being ordered around, but went to get them nonetheless. Trender gently asked her to lift her arms, and Josie complied, groaning slightly. Her clothes stuck to her frigid skin and Trender felt much sympathy for her. She must be freezing, even with all the steam swirling around. Trender started to sweat in the heat of the room and he began to grow red in the face. He removed his beige vest and rolled up his white shirt sleeves. He noticed the swelling in her wrist and he mentally cursed (he couldn't do it out loud, a lady was present!). That was going to be tough to fix.

The bath tub was full of hot water by now and he tested it with his wrist. It was warm, but not enough to burn her cold skin. He worked the rest of her clothes off quickly, leaving only her underpants on (he wasn't some kind of pervert you know!) and gently lowered her into the bathtub. He murmured words of encouragement when she whimpered and gave her a water proof pillow to put behind her head. She slowly began to relax and was drifted off in the tub. Trender was glad, she was obviously starting to warm up, but he had to make sure she didn't slip down into the water and drown. Slender had returned with hot towels just as he was getting a chair for him and Slender. His face was pink from the heat of the laundry room. Trender chuckled and gestured for him to sit down next to him.

Slender placed the towel on the sink ledge and reclined comfortably. His clothes were still wet, but he wasn't so cold anymore, merely feeling sticky from the humidity. They sat together in comfortable silence as they watched Josie's chest rise and fall with every breath. It was soothing for Slender, he didn't know why though. His mind slowed down and he felt calm as he listened to her soft breaths whisper past her lips.

Trender was amused by it all. He hadn't seen his brother in over eight hundred years, and then he just turns up out of the blue, completely soaked and demanding a bath for a little girl. It was rude, pushy and so very, very Slenderman. Slender groaned inwardly when he saw Trender shift in his seat. He wanted to talk, he always did. Couldn't he just leave him be? Why did he always have to ask questions?

"**Slendy…"** Slenderman cringed at the nickname. It was one thing when a child used it, but a three thousand year old brother was quite different. **"What happened to her? Her wrist is broken. I can fix it, but it's gonna take time." **Trender said softly. Slender replied a bit too casually,

"**Oh, she was being stupid. She ran away from her home and fell over in the park. I had to go save her." **Trender raised a non-existent eyebrow. He doubted the he **had** to save her. **"I took her to the human hospital but they wouldn't accept her, they were too busy." **Trender replied immediately, his smile making a comeback.

**"She can stay here if you want. I can look after her for you. It'll be nice, a bit of company. Haven't had any in ages, except Splendor of course. But he's just …not quite the same."** Slender nodded. He knew what Trender meant. He was pleasant company sure, but just not the same as…other people. Trender had meant it about the girl staying. She looked positively adorable! And her hair was so long! His mind was already starting to bubble with ideas for what he could dress her up in. It had been far too long since his last shopping spree, at least a week.

Silence reigned once more for some time and eventually Slender decided he wanted to have a shower and change his clothes. He stood up and asked if his brother for the directions to the other bathroom. Trender replied cheerily that they were upstairs, first door on the right. Slenderman swiftly left the room without thanking him and Trender watched him disappear, affection in his eyes. He had missed his brother a great deal. He could be cold, and harsh, and rude, but that was just Slender's defenses. He only put them up because he'd been hurt before. He knew about what he did with the human's he was fascinated by, and it made him sad. But after countless shouting matches and far too much of Trender's furniture being thrown around, he gave up. Slenderman could do whatever he liked, so long as he spared Trender the details. Trender just hoped that he would stop doing all of those horrible things and come out of his shell, be the kind person he knew Slender could be.

He looked at the girl sadly. She was still sleeping peacefully. He dipped his hand into the still water and tested the temperature. It was starting to cool down; he would have to get her out soon. Trender sent a mind message to his brother asking him to be quick. He wanted to get her out of the tub soon or she'd start getting cold again. Slender was dressed in his usual suit within ten minutes and the towels were warm again after a quick turn inside the dryer. They both dried her and clothed her in simple stuff Slender had brought from downstairs. Trender was slightly upset; he had wanted to pick the clothes. She had managed to stay half asleep the whole time and was leaning against Slender heavily when they were done. She was wearing a simple shirt and overalls. Trender mentally admonished his brother on his choices; the colours he had chosen didn't match her complexion **at all.** Red would have really accentuated her clear skin.

Trender watched in surprise as his emotionally void brother bent down to pick up the girl. He carried her out to the living room with such tenderness he would never have expected. He watched as she nuzzled his neck and hugged him tightly.

He'd never seen anything like it before, Slender never acted like this around humans. He lay down on the long white leather couch and leant her against his chest. She smiled slightly and sighed contently.

Slender completely relaxed and as far as Trender knew, he had fallen asleep instantly. The girl snored quietly and snuggled closer, seeking his warmth. Trender jolted out of his trance and went to fetch a blanket. He made sure it covered both of them completely and he stood back, still at a loss for words.

He went back upstairs without a word and continued what he had been doing before they knocked on his door-knitting a beautiful blue scarf. He had decided who he was going to give it to now.

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**AN: WEEEEE, character development for Slender! I really hope you guys like what's going on with Brontworth and my description of Trenderman! Tell me what you guys think of it all please! I want to make this awesome for you lovely readers, so if you don't review, I don't know what to write!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: WOO! New chapter! I'm sorry it's not long like usual, but I felt like adding a little (cute?) fic here. Just to make the ominous story just a little bit brighter :)  
**

**Sorry to the people reading my 'Blaspheme!' story! I have a good 2/3 of it written up, but I can't think of how to finish it! Just bear with me here guys while I think of an ending!**

**Please review and I hope you enjoy!**

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_Chapter 3_

**Forward three years**

**"No! no, no, no, no, no! I am not wearing it!" **Slender shouted furiously. He batted his brother's incessant hands away from his head. Trender grunted in frustration and made another grab at his shoulders but Slenderman dodged him.

**"Come on Slendy! It's cold outside! You know what you're like when you get cold!"** Trenderman made another lunge at Slender and managed to knock him down. They both thudded to the floor heavily and Slender gasped in surprise. Josie jumped, knocking her knees into her bed painfully. She was upstairs unpacking the last of her clothes and heard wild thrashing downstairs. She listened hard and when she heard the telltale sound of something breaking, she sighed and plodded her way down the massive staircase. _Damn them and their constant fighting!_

Trender snarled at his broken vase and took advantage of Slender's surprise. He straddled his younger brother's chest and pinned Slender's arms down with his legs. Tentacles burst out from Slender's back and latched themselves around Trender's struggling arms.

**"Stop that! Let go!" **Trender growled.

**"Not until you get off!"** Slender roared back. They were evenly matched in strength, but Trender was willing to play dirty. Slender had always had an incredibly strong sense of pride. If he was going to win in a fight, he was going to win fair and square. Except for when Slender got angry and played just as dirty as Trender- those fights weren't pretty. Tentacles were flailing everywhere and there seemed to be double the amount of limbs than there should have been. Slender gnashed his jaws wildly, trying to rip Trender shirt sleeves.

**"Not the shirt! Not the shirt!"** Trender shrieked. He wrenched himself away from Slender's head and flung himself back wildly, landing by his brother's feet. They both scrambled to get up and Trender teleported behind Slender. Before he could react, Trender dove forward, wrapping his long arms around Slender's chest and never-ending tentacles around the rest of him. They both crashed down to the ground and the house rattled, glass goblets teetering precariously on their shelves. Slender thrashed and writhed wildly until he gave up. Panting slightly, Slender whined,

**"You cheated." **Trender huffed out a laugh and feigned indignity.

**"I did no such thing!" **Trender kept his arms and tentacles tight around his brother, afraid he was going to try attempt a sneak attack. Sure enough, only a few second later, appendages pushed their way through Trender's grip.

**"Don't try and weasel your way out of this, you're wearing it and that's that!" **Slender growled low in his throat and and slowly wrapped his tentacles around Trender's shoulders and neck. He became anxious.

**"Hey,"** he began nervously, pulling his neck away, **"You know what Mum said! No necks!"**

**"She also said 'no teleports'. I just assumed that we weren't playing by house rules anymore." **Slender gave a feral grin, showing rows of sharp teeth. Trender actually started to get scared. There were always times when Slender took it too far, you know, him being a murderous entity and all. One time Splendor had his leg broken.

Trender's tentacles relaxed from Slender in a show of surrender, but his brother only got up and knelt beside him. Slender's grip tightened around Trender's neck and now he was the one who was desperate to get away. Trender was definitely not above begging for release.

**"Slender please! You're hurting me!"** he cried. Slender's grin became just that little bit wider and Trender yelped in pain as his grip tightened. It was at that perfect moment that Josie came around the corner. Trender groaned in relief. Josephine Annabelle Periali was a goddamn angel; that was for sure.

"Slender! What do you think you're doing?! He's gonna pass out!" Slender's head whipped up and stared at Josie in shock. If Trender had been in a more lucid state, he would have noticed the intense reddening of Slender's face. Slender's retracted his tentacles immediately upon seeing her. They slowly seeped into his back and Slender stood up, mumbling something about getting caught up 'in the moment'. He stuck out a hand for his brother to take.

Trender rubbed his sore neck and coughed. He grabbed Slender's hand and stood up. They both slumped over together, shoulders hunched over. The way Josie was glaring at them reminded Trenderman of when they had been wrestling as boys and their mother would scold them. Josie was ridiculously small standing next to the two, but somehow she appeared to be five inches taller than them as the boys looked at the floor in shame.

"Well, I think to start off with you two can shake hands and apologize to each other, clean up the broken vase and then explain to me why you were fighting. **Again**." She pointed to the other side of the room where a vase had fallen off a coffee table. Trender was glad that he hadn't had a chance to put any flowers in it. The dirty water would have most certainly stained his cream shaggy rug. Slender's shoulders stiffened and he turned towards Trender. They both stared at each other for a few seconds before shaking hands stiffly and mumbling apologies to each other (Trender croaked his). It had become a sort of routine for them. Whenever they got in an argument (usually ending in wrestling) Josie had to break them up and force them to apologize. Trender didn't really mind as he had a lot less bruises than when they were living together as children.

Slender walked into the kitchen to retrieve a dustpan and they both cleaned up the shattered porcelain. Trender sighed sadly (Slender smirked) when it was dumped into the bin. Josie watched them as they did this and sat over on the longest leather couch. Slender and Trender sat on the shorter one opposite her, their thighs pressed together due to lack of space. Josie glared at Slender, meaning it was his turn to explain what happened. Slender straightened his shirt and cleared his throat. He didn't appreciate being treated like a child and he tried to maintain some of his dignity.

**"My dearest brother here,"** Trender huffed and crossed his arms, **"was trying to put a leash on me like some feral animal." **He pointed a pale finger towards the forgotten blue scarf on the floor. Trender had dropped it when they crashed to the floor the first time. Josie chuckled and Slender eyed it angrily as she went over to retrieve it. She wove the beautiful blue wool through her fingers and admired Trender's knitting skills. He had been working on it on and off for three years and it was absolutely gorgeous. Josie envied his talent, he had tried to teach her but she just didn't have the knack for it. He said he'd begun it a week before she first came over to Trendy's and it seemed he had finally finished it. Trender had been really looking forward giving it to Slender.

She walked over to Slender and asked him to stand up. Trender watched curiously as she stood on his couch and faced Slender. He looked her in the eyes and upon seeing the fierce determination that uniquely said 'Josie', he groaned in defeat. Josie giggled and reached up to tie the scarf around his neck gently. Trender grinned and admired the colours against his pale neck. He wished he could get Slender to do things, but alas, only Josephine seemed to hold that power over his brother. Josie smoothed down the shoulder pads of his coat and then hugged him tightly, wrinkling the suit again.

Trender's curiosity spiked to an all-time high as he watched Slender wrap his arms around her and rest his head on hers. Josie had grown a lot in the last few years, but still had to reach up to hug him, even while standing on the couch. Trender missed the little girl that he could bounce on his shoulders and dress up how he liked. (She wanted to pick her own clothes now, sadly) She was only ten, but it seemed like she had changed so much since he first met her. Slender had also changed, but you had to squint to see it. He was more agreeable, slightly less adverse to affection and so much happier, even though you had to look at the little things to notice it.

He was still rude sometimes and left poor Josephine with him for days on end without so much as a 'goodbye', but Trender really didn't mind that so much, he could have a pretty accurate guess at what he was doing away and was glad he didn't take Josie with him. She did miss him terribly when that happened, however.

Slender never said it, but the way his face crinkled into a smile when Josephine laughed or the content sighs he made when they fell asleep on the couch with together spoke more than he ever needed to. Slender loved Josephine. It was completely obvious to everyone but Slender.

Trender averted his gaze awkwardly as their hug continued. Slender finally broke it off and gave Josie a smile. She smirked back and grabbed his large hand. Trender's heart warmed a little as he watched Slender help Josie off the couch and make their way to the front door.

Trender looked at his designer clock on the wall and saw it was time for their weekly walk. Josephine and Slender cherished their walks together (though he would never admit it) and Slender was always in a better mood when he came back from them.

**"Be back soon-it's cold out there! And Splendor's coming over for dinner later! I'm making spaghetti!" **Trender shouted. Josie waved goodbye and let Slender help her into her jacket. With a final nod from his brother, they left, slamming the door behind them.

Trender smiled to himself and winced slightly as he rubbed his neck. Where Josephine was concerned, Slender's moods were incredibly sporadic. He teleported up the stairs to Josephine's room and unpacked the last of her clothes. He folded them up and put them in the beige cupboards. Slender had decided that he tired of travelling back and forth from his cabin to Trender's home and as he didn't want to risk teleporting with Josie again, he decided that she would live here and Slender in his cabin. Trender was fine with this as he didn't think he could stand living with his brother again. Besides, he loved Josephine like a sister and was very happy to live with her. Josie had wholeheartedly agreed to the idea; she loved 'her Trendy' as she sometimes called him.

She really loved Splendy (as she called him) too. She had been nervous around him for the first few minutes upon meeting him, but Trender didn't blame her; he took some getting used to. And once he'd explained everything to her, she had completely understood. He straightened the floral sheets on her bed and went into the kitchen to prepare their dinner-not forgetting his favourite plaid apron of course!

It was going to be a good night, everyone was so much happier when Josephine was around.

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**AN: N'awwwwwww, wasn't that nice? Yes? No? Tell me in the review! **

**I was thinking of doing some little shorts chapters, just progressing through Josie's life as she gets older and the effect she has on the family. I can't believe it but I might need a part 3 or something! that's incredible! I've never written a story this long before!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Here's a new chapter! I've made it longer than usual to make up for the long wait! This chapter has a mess of emotions, and guess what? You get to meet a new character! **

**ALL CREDIT GOES TO Kitsunegirl693 ! He/she gave me the idea for this chapter and the next one! Thank you! Keep the wonderful reviews coming!**

**Thankyou to all the people who have/reviewed/favourited/followed so far! Your support is what encourages me!**

**IMPORTANT: This chapter has mentions of characters that aren't well known, so I've found a picture that shows them all! I'm still finding a way to attach a URL, but for now just Google Images search 'devinatart arvata slenderman family' and it's the picture of the all the Slender variations ****arranged into a pyramid-like formation** with a white background. I'm REALLY SORRY if you can't find it, but it is silly how we can't include URL's here!

**ENJOY ANYWAY!**

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_Chapter 4_

**Forward six years**

"I'm sorry Mr Periali, there's nothing new in from the Commissioner. I suggest you just relax until your meeting with him on Wednesday" crackled the voice on the phone. Steven breathed through his nose heavily and said,

"I'm afraid I can't accept that and you **know** it! Mr Brontworth has cancelled on us twice already and I want to talk to him now!" He banged his fist on the counter top in front of him angrily. "It's been months, he must have something to tell us! Surely he's still in his office?" The policeman on the other end paused momentarily and Steven pinched the bridge of his nose wearily. He heard harsh breathing from the living room. The man on the phone said hesitantly,

"You know I can't do that, Mr Periali. He's very busy down in the laboratories with some colleagues and he said he didn't want anyone to disturb him. I'm sorry; you'll just have to wait until Wednesday." Then the man hung up. Steven swore loudly and put the phone down. His wife sobbed from the sitting room and Steven walked in unsteadily. His wife, Sharon, was perched on the couch, elbows on her knees and head in her hands. Sobs wracked her thin frame and the dinner he had placed on the table in front of her an hour ago was untouched. Steven sighed and sat down next to her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she fell into him, completely spent.

He shushed her and rubbed her back soothingly. She continued to cry and Steven didn't try to say anything or comfort her. She was beyond reason; all he could do now was lull her to sleep. Steven needed to be strong…for her. For Sharon. For Josie. It was her birthday today, he thought distantly. She would be sixteen. She would be so pretty. If only he could see her. It had been so long, where was she? Who could have taken her? Where was their little baby girl?

**xxx**

Josie laughed as she tore through the halls of her home. She glanced behind, caught a flash of colour and turned around again. She pushed into an all-out sprint and shrieked gleefully. She slowed to round a corner and before she could speed up again, long arms reached down and snatched her up, wrapping her in their embrace. She writhed and shouted, and the man holding her cackled joyfully as well. Splendorman tripped over a rug and they both landed on the floor, Josie safely tucked up to his chest. He rolled onto his back and she straddled his stomach and began mercilessly tickling his ribs. He wriggled on the floor and attempted to buck Josie off, but she held on tight and pressed her fingertips into his sides even harder.

Splendorman screamed in mirth and shouted for help from his brothers. A few seconds later, Slenderman poked his head out from behind a wall. He walked into the doorway (hips wrapped up in an apron), and looked upon the two wrestling with disdain. Splendorman and Josie were always so **loud** when they were together. It was like they fed off of each other's happy vibes, getting more and more hyped up as the night wore on. The sound grinded on his nerves.

Trenderman joined his brother in the doorway of the living room and began laughing when he saw Splendorman at Josephine's mercy. She never held back when it came to brawling-he was certain of that and he didn't ever want to test out his theory. Trenderman was so glad his smallest brother got on with her. Splendorman didn't get to meet very many people and he stayed in contact with even less. But Splendor was happy and Josephine was happy, and that was all that mattered. Trender glanced sideways at Slender sneakily and whipped the dishtowel he was holding at his brother's stomach. The towel stung through Slender's white shirt and he rubbed the spot, slapping the back of Trender's bald head in revenge.

**"Hey! What was that for?"** he demanded angrily. Trender's face crinkled into a smile and he gestured to the other two still squirming on the floor like worms together.

**"You look grumpy. You should be happy, it's a wonderful occasion!"** Trender lifted his arms up and laughed. Slender sniffed and untied Trender's (horribly ugly) plaid apron from behind his back and threw it over a chair.

**"It's Josie's birthday. She's had sixteen already and she's going to have many more."** Slender said childishly.

**"How many more?"** Trender asked quietly. Slender didn't reply, and they both became still, watching Josie laugh as Splendor made shadows on the wall with his many tentacles. After a long pause, Slender returned with his usual arrogance and grumbled,

**"Well, we never celebrated birthdays"** Trender huffed out a sour chuckle. He saw through Slender's façade immediately. He always tried to be so strong and invincible, at nobodies will and able to do whatever he pleased. He hated admitting control to someone else, which was why it was so hard for him to say that Josephine had more control over him than anyone ever had. Slender never kept a child for more than a few years and as each birthday came and went, Trender doubted more and more whether Slender was ever going to let her go.

**"True."** Trender folded his arms and leant against the door frame, **"But remember brother, we do get to have many more birthdays than humans. If we had a birthday every year, we would most surely get sick of it. It's special for people; they don't get to have as many."** Slender gestured to Splendor,

**"Splendor doesn't get bored of birthdays. Doesn't he demand one from you every year?"** Trender hummed in agreement. It was true; Splendor loved birthday parties and had been having them for a few decades. Trender didn't mind, it made him so happy and it only cost a cake once a year. Splendor didn't care much for gifts thankfully. It was the least he could do for his brother, considering all that he'd been through. Trender didn't feel like talking to his brother anymore and he left, leaving Slender to scold the two on the floor for crinkling their freshly ironed clothes (courtesy of Trenderman).

Panting and very sweaty, Josie and Splendor stood up and plodded their way past a glaring Slender, and into the kitchen. They both guzzled water from the tap and joked with each other jovially. Josie went upstairs to change into clean clothes and Splendor shed his polka-dot jacket, revealing a royal purple vest with golden buttons and a white shirt underneath that. He loosened his bright red bow tie and undid the first button. Once he had drunk enough water, he plopped down onto the cream leather couch in the living room and fanned himself with a large hand. He gave a lopsided grin as he relived the tickle fight.

He loved it when he visited Josie. He was always lonely at his house (Splendor's favourite cousin, Befrienderman, hadn't stopped by in ages! He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen him!) and Josie was really fun to be with. She was nice to him and she gave lots of hugs and kisses on the cheek. They wrestled together on the floor and she let Splendor play with her beautiful long hair. She taught him how to braid last week and he had been practicing on her. She said he was getting very good at it! Splendorman beamed at the memory of her sweet compliments. He just loved Josie so much! Splendor wondered idly where his brother met his latest friend.

Trender called out for everyone to gather in the kitchen to sing Happy Birthday to Josephine. Splendor crinkled his face slightly. He thought it was so **weird** that Trendy called Josie 'Josephine' all the time. Splendor giggled to himself, he sounded so posh when he said it! Splendor sprung from his seat with childlike energy and pranced into the kitchen. He stopped by Slender's side and slung an arm around his brother's shoulders. He gave a lazy grin and Slender sighed.

"Hey Slendy! Are you excited to sing the song?!" He exclaimed right in his brother's ear. Slender shied away from Splendor and nodded.

**"Yeah, I can't wait!"** Slender faked enthusiasm and hoped it was enough to fool him. Splendor beamed in reply and scrutinized at the cake on the table, a hungry look in his eyes. Slender sighed in relief and looked at Trender, sharing an amused glance with him. Josie hurried down the stairs, pulling the last arm through her jumper. She ran over to stand in between Trender and Splendor, with Slender opposite her.

Splendor began belting out the tune, happily missing notes and slinging an arm around Trender's neck. Trender joined in just as loudly (pulling Splendor into the right key), while Slender said nothing. Josie didn't mind, he never sang on her birthday. When it came for the two brothers to say Josie's name, Splendor faltered and glanced at Trender anxiously. The song paused for a few seconds as Trender whispered the correct name to him. Splendor smiled and laughed again (completely oblivious to the fact that he had forgotten the name of his best friend).

He started up again from where he left of and Trender joined in once more. Josie looked at Slender sadly and he just stared right back, his expression unreadable. The rest of the celebrations continued without a problem and the incident was soon forgotten. The cake was cut into generous pieces (carrot cake of course on request from Josie), and they all gathered together in the living room to open the three gifts she had received.

Josie smiled gleefully and thanked Trender profusely when she opened her gift from him. They were several new books by her favourite authors. She was never allowed out of the house without Slender and he hadn't taken her to any libraries for months. Splendor positively glowed with pride when she opened the gift he had given her. She slung a necklace made from beautiful white shells around her neck and asked Splendor where he found them. Trender admired the cool glimmer of the shells against her tanned skin.

"They're from the lake down the road! Trendy helped me make holes in them and thread them onto the string!" Josie thanked Trender with a smile and a knowing glance. She smiled warmly and kissed Splendor on the cheek. Slender chuckled quietly as he watched his brother blush and stutter. He was so innocent when it came to affection. Josie curiously picked up the last gift. Slender had always gotten her a gift for her birthday, but it was never wrapped. He said it was a waste of resources. Unusually, this had plain, brown paper and a brown string tied around it in a neat bow.

It was quite heavy and perfectly square. She unwrapped the paper carefully and saw a flawless midnight blue box. It was incredibly old and on it were inscribed words in beautiful silver script. She couldn't read it, but apparently Trender could, as he gasped audibly when he saw it. Splendor stared at it with a furrowed brow, obviously frustrated at not being able to understand it.

**"Brother,"** Trender breathed, **"Is that what I think it is?"** Slender nodded minutely and Josie looked up at him curiously. Clearly, whatever this was, it held great significance to the brothers. Splendor glanced around at everyone, confused by what was happening.

She pulled the lid off the immaculate box and gasped too. She placed the lid next to her gently and held the box with both hands, being incredibly careful not to drop the age old relic inside.

Sitting inside a box so old she wondered how it was crafted, was a tarnished, ornately designed, silver fob watch. She sighed in appreciation as she lifted the heavy metal from its box and lifted it to examine it in the light. The watch had a long, heavy silver chain that chinked together quietly. She was surprised at how much it weighed, it was no bigger than four centimetres in diameter. She wondered what it was made of.

Upon seeing the watch, Splendor's unfocussed gaze came into sudden clarity, making him instantly look years older. His back stiffened and the permanent smile on his face morphed into a look of shock and revulsion. Trender, Slender and Josie looked at each other worriedly and then at Splendor. The brother in question stammered an apology, snatched his coat and left abruptly, smothering the room in a thick silence.

Trender looked at his brother opposite him in distress and rushed out after Splendor. Josie and Slender heard shouting (_that couldn't be Splendor? He never yelled!_ Josie thought) and then the slamming of the front door. They both listened for movement outside, but everything was quiet.

After a few minutes, Josie asked timidly, "Is Splendor all right?"

**"Umm," **Slender began tentatively**, "occasionally, he gets, err...flashbacks."** Slender waved his hand dismissively.

**"You'll find out when you're older. What I want to do now however is explain what this is."** he gestured to the small fob watch in her hands. She nodded eagerly and dropped the artefact into his outstretched palm. He flipped the small watch in his hands carelessly (Josie resisted the urge to tell him to be careful) and pressed the silver, ridged button on the top. The watch opened with a satisfyingly click, showing the impossibly intricate carvings inside the lid and on the face of the watch. The face was yellowy in colour, but Josie could tell that it once held a shiny, pearly glow. The hands were black and beautifully sculpted. The whole watch had an aura of being sly and dangerous, but with a flourish of elegance Josie didn't know an object was able to possess. Slenderman smiled at the look of awe on her face and handed it back to her. Josie wound the cool chain around her hand and traced the carvings on the back of the watch with her fingertips.

"**That watch has been in my family longer than recorded history,"** instantly, Josie's mind bubbled with questions, **"and has been passed down from father to son. Usually, the watch is passed down to the first born, so they can pass it down to theirs. But as Trenderman didn't want the watch," **Josie marveled at how he couldn't want something so beautiful and obviously stylish, **"I received it, something which I despised at first."** Slender whispered the last bit so quietly Josie didn't hear it,** "But I didn't know what it could do back then." **Slender took the watch back from her and held it in his large hands. He traced it with a familiarity only born through years of repetition.

Josie couldn't comprehend the level of bewilderment she felt. _How could __**anyone**__ not want something as gorgeous as this?_ Slender didn't speak for a few moments and Josie couldn't help but blurt out,

"How could you not want this?" She cupped her hands under Slender's, which were holding the watch as if it were an offense. "It's so beautiful!" Slender chuckled and Josie could feel it vibrate in her chest.

"**Dear Josie,"** he patted her head patronizingly and dropped the watch into her cupped hands, **"You'll look after this won't you?"** She nodded her head vigorously and clenched the watch protectively in her fist. Slender felt a strange surge of affection for her-the determination she could hold would never stop surprising him.

"I'll protect it with my life." She vowed solemnly, posture stiff. Slender chuckled again and Josie's shoulders slumped in offense.

"**There won't be any need for that, my dear."** Josie smiled sheepishly, **"But I do want you to promise me something on your life."**

Josie, who had averted her attention back to the fob watch; instantly looked back at his blank face. She stared at him, searching for any sign of him joking. She couldn't find any.

"**I want you to promise me on pain of death that you will never put anything inside the watch."** He popped the watch open in her hands and tapped the glass face. **"Always make sure it is empty when you close it."**

"I promise" Josie breathed. She sat studying the watch's designs for a few minutes and Slender sat idly in his chair, watching her. Slender had forgotten all about his brothers and for the moment, he was content to study Josie.

Slender and Josie jumped when the front door opened and slammed shut again. Trenderman slumped back in, his dark green vest and white shirt skewed and crinkled. He dropped down onto the couch and exclaimed,

"**He's gone. Teleported before I could catch up. He said something about going to Befrienderman's for the night-said he needed to clear his head."** he threw his hands up in frustration, **"Befrienderman's going to have no idea what's going on. We haven't met up with the rest of the family since…. Well, the accident. You know what I'm talking about, Slender."**

The younger brother stood up and pushed past Josie, marching down the hallway. He trotted through the house, shrugged on his coat and shouted,

"**I'll go over and see if I can persuade him! Trender, I won't be back for a few days, look after her!"** He pointed at Josie before shutting the front door. Trender rubbed a hand over his head wearily. _There he goes again, _he thought tiredly, _leaving me with Josephine without any warning! I hope it __**is**__ only a few days this time_.

Josie had difficulty following what was happening. She guessed they were talking about their father's funeral. He'd died in an accident decades ago and Splendor had been there when he passed away, which made it quite a sensitive topic for him. Trender and Slender had explained it all to her after meeting him for the first time. But why would Slender be gone for so long? She twisted to face Trender and asked,

"Why would he be gone for days? What's he going to do?" Trender squirmed ever so slightly in his seat and Josie grew suspicious.

"**It'll…probably take some time for him to persuade Splendor to leave his cousin's house. Once he does, he will probably stay with him for a few days to make sure he's okay."** Josie could tell he was lying, but she didn't push it. Instead she asked,

"Who's Befrienderman?" Trender sat up slightly and patted the seat next to him. She sat next to him and leant on his chest.

"**Befrienderman is one of our many cousins. He makes friends with everyone he meets. It's no surprise Splendor and him get on so well."** Josie laughed under her breath, **"But we haven't met up with the family since…well, since the funeral I guess."**

"Your dad's funeral?" Josie was sorry the instant she said it. He stiffened and Josie could feel his heart rate speed up.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"**No,"** he interrupted, **"It's okay. Uhh, yeah. It was…Father's." ** There was an awkward silence and Josie admonished herself. Why did she have to be so rude? She was so confused about what was happening! What did Trenderman mean when he said 'accident' before? How did his father die and why was Splendor so affected by it? Shouldn't he be happy he survived? From what Slender had told her over the years, their father wasn't a nice man…maybe something happened in the accident that scared Splendorman? That couldn't be right, he was fine! Well…considering what just happened he wasn't fine. What was wrong with him? Why hadn't the family met up since the funeral? Why was Slender going to be gone for so long? He did this every few weeks and no matter how much she tried, she never learnt anything from anyone! All the facts and people and places were so messed up in her head. So piercing, so rowdy, so busy, so ugly, so-

"**Josephine? Are you okay?"**

"Hmm?"

Trender shook her gently. Josie looked at her new fob watch and saw that she had been lying down for over an hour. _How was that possible? It had only been a few minutes_.

"**You know, that is a very precious gift he gave you."** Trender pointed to the watch in her hands,** "You're very special to him…you know that right?"**

Josie didn't have to ask about who he was talking about, she knew already. While Slender had never said 'I love you' or even a 'you're my friend', Josie knew he loved her and she never hesitated to say it back to him. He always got a bit flustered when she did though, and she thought it as adorable that she could make such an intimidating and confident man nervous. Josie puffed out a massive yawn and stretched like a cat in Trender's lap. She knew she should feel very grateful for the fob watch and the birthday party, but all she could feel was an overwhelming sense of dread and exhaustion over what had happened with Splendor. _Happy Birthday to me, _she sung ironically in her head.

"Mmm, yeah, I guess. Are you sure Splendor's going to be okay?"

"**He'll be fine, Josephine."** Trenderman kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back soothingly. **"I suggest you go to bed now. We're going to go clean Splendor's house tomorrow and I need you up bright and early to help." **Josie groaned, she hated house work and Trender always sang opera when he was dusting.

"Why are we cleaning Splendor's house? Can't he do that himself?" Trender laughed quietly,

"**He isn't incapable; he's just not that good at it."** Josie giggled, **"Besides, we need to make sure it's spotless ready for Christmas. It's his turn this year to host it, remember? I did it last year." **Trender pushed Josie up off the couch and when she fell back onto him theatrically, he sighed with a smile and carried her up the stairs. As he was walking, Josie sighed,

"I didn't know you guys celebrated Christmas…" she yawned, "or birthday's for that matter." Trender shushed her and whispered quietly,

"**We're willing to adjust for you, Josephine." **_You have no idea, do you? How much we've changed? _He thought. He wasn't sure how he felt at that thought. Josie snored and he doubted she was even awake.

He carried her to her room and tucked her into her bed. He placed her new fob watch and sea shell necklace on her bed stand, being careful to not make a sound. Something he was glad he was good at. Trender couldn't believe Slender had given her the fob watch. He doubted whether he'd explained its full meaning and purpose to her, or if he ever would.

"**You know, it wouldn't be bad to have a big get together again. You know, with the whole family."** Trender mused aloud. He stroked her long hair and she nuzzled his hand affectionately. **"It would be nice to see the old gang again." **Josie whispered a sleepy 'goodnight' as he wandered away, closing the door behind him.

* * *

**AN: OOHH! a bit of angst, fluff, hurt/comfort AND foreshadowing! This chapter has it all *gasp***

**I know this chapter had a MASSIVE influx of information and bits and pieces, so if you're confused about ANYTHING, PLEASE tell me and I'll send a PM to you and explain it all in the next chapter for others as well! It makes sense in my head, but I know what's going on in the story, so please tell me if you don't understand something or I've made a contradiction. Splendor is probably the most complicated character in this story so far, and it's his first!**

**Also, in terms of Splendors...lets call it... 'condition' (*wink*) I did no research for it whatsoever. I've made it all up. So for the sake of storytelling, lets assume that because he is a somewhat 'magical' creature, his mind doesn't operate like a humans? Yes? No? Good. **

**Please leave a review! Have a nice day!**


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